Virtual, mixed, or augmented reality can be associated with a variety of applications that comprise immersive, highly visual, computer-simulated environments. These environments, commonly referred to as augmented-reality (AR)/virtual-reality (VR) environments, can simulate a physical presence of a user in a real or imagined world. The computer simulation of these environments can include computer rendered images, which can be presented by means of a graphical display. The display can be arranged as a head mounted display (HMD) that may encompass all or part of a user's field of view.
A user can interface with the computer-simulated environment by means of a user interface device or peripheral device. A common controller type in many contemporary AR/VR systems is the pistol grip controller, which can typically operate with three or six degrees-of-freedom (DOF) of tracked movement, depending on the particular system. When immersed in a computer-simulated AR/VR environment, the user may perform complex operations associated with the interface device, including simulated movement, object interaction and manipulation, and more. Despite their usefulness, pistol grip controllers in contemporary AR/VR systems tend to be bulky, unwieldy, cumbersome, and can induce fatigue in a user due to its weight and large tracking features that often include an obtrusive and protruding donut-shaped structure. The pistol grip shape can help minimize fatigue as a user can typically hold objects in a pistol grip configuration for longer periods of time, but at the cost of only allowing coarse and inarticulate movement and ungainly control. Thus, there is need for improvement in interface devices when operating within virtualized environments, especially when performing tasks that require a high degree of precision and fine control.